In August 2000, CIMMYT-Kenya organized a two-week 'Traveling Maize Workshop' that visited field projects by scientists of NARS in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia participating in the Eastern and Central Africa Maize and Wheat (ECAMAW) Research Network. The workshop was jointly funded by AMS Project (funded UNDP, SIDA and IFAD), the Eastern Africa Cereals Program (EACP, funded by CIDA) and a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.  The workshop, led by Dr. Shivaji Pandey, Director of the CIMMYT Maize Program, comprised a group of 35 scientists including all of the ECAMAW Steering Committee Members, national scientists actively involved in maize research in eight ECAMAW countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, DRC Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan and Madagascar), and seven CIMMYT scientists working in sub-Saharan Africa and in Mexico.

Objectives of the traveling workshop

1. Familiarize the national scientists with the maize research activities in the respective countries

2. Identify and assess the severity of the main biotic and abiotic constraints facing the farmers in various ecologies in those countries

3. Assess the viability of the existing technologies being used by farmers, and

4. Exchange ideas and experiences on the management of trials on-farm and on-station.

Workshop Outputs

• The team visited maize trials, on-station and on-farm followed by discussions among team members on various issues arising from the trials observed each day.  

• Discussions were held with key players including the Executive Secretary of ASARECA, Prof. Geoffrey Mrema, and Directors of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS). 

• An award system was launched to recognize the dedication and excellence in realizing research objectives, project implementation, general trial management and presentation by scientists of the trials that were visited.  Mr. Tolessa Debele from EARO/Bako Research Center was awarded the first prize for his research on 'Soil fertility through enrichment of farmyard manure'. The runner-up was Dr. Macharia Gethi of KARI/RRC Embu, Kenya, for his research on "Screening for stem borer resistance'. 

• The workshop was judged a valuable experience that allowed network scientists to learn more directly about each other’s work, to critically assess all aspects of the projects visited and to foster a sense of excellence in research